Heat treatment of petroleum oil vapor and other hydrocarbonaceous starting material



Dec. 4, 1934.

I. W. HENRY HEA'I" TREATMENT'OF PETROLEUM OIL VAPOR AND OTHERHYDROCARBONACEOUS STARTING MATERIAL Original Filed May 6, 1929) 3Sheets-Sheet l d m. n!

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HEAT TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM OIL VAPOR AND OTHER HYDROCARBONACEOUSSTARTING MATERIAL f Original Filed May 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR a Walf Hcrlryl; BY .ud/

ATTORNEY 4, 1934. l, w HENRY 1,983,027

Y HEAT TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM OIL VAPOR AND OTHER HYDROCARBONACEOUSSTARTING MATERIAL Original Filed May 6, 1929 J 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 vosPatented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE `HEAT TREATMENT ofFPETRoLEUMoiL vAroR AND OTHER IIYnRocARRoNA- cEoUs STARTING MATERIAL 1raWalton Henry, Greenwich, Conn., as signor to Ionizing Corporation ofAmerica, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application MayV 6,1929, Serial No. 360,926

i Renewed April 24, 1934 1 Claim. (Cl. 2011-31) 5 present petroleum oilcracking operations by suddenly raising to a cracking temperature theoil vapor or gases,u after they have been preliminarily obtained by'heattreatment, and while they are at a relatively high temperature ofapproxi- `mately 500 or 600 Fah. and before such preheated, hot,-gaseousvapor is led into a heat interchanger, such as a condenser or otherapparatus for reception of the cracked vapor.

By my invention the gaseous vapor is given a sudden increase intemperature while it is in its pre-heated condition and is flowing toauxiliary apparatus.

It iswell known that nal cracking mustbe accomplished withintemperatures that willv not cause the gaseous vapors tocarbonize; and mypresent invention suiTices for obtainment of final .and completecracking without carbonization, and thus pertains to one of the mostcritical steps in the cycle of production Aof light hydrocarbons,

such as gasoline for example. I have discovered My apparatus herein setforth is useful in other connections than above indicatedyand I dornot iintend to limit my claim toits Vuse only in the described manner but toclaim it broadly for every use to which it can be put.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and illustrating mypresent invention in different forms,- v l Fig. 1 is al diagrammaticview of a cracking still provided with exterior heating means and havinga discharge pipe communicating with my new superheater which dischargesinto a heat interchanger.

Fig. 2 is a lengthwise, central section and elevational view of one formof my new superheater embodying the invention, in communication with apre-heated, hot gaseous vapor, supply pipe and also in communicationwith a pipe for'discharging the superheated vapor into a. desiredapparatus for subsequent treatment; the superheater including aconduithaving an enlarged portion forming' an expansion chamber.`

Fig..3 is a lengthwise central section and ele- I vational View ofanother form of the superheater illustratedin Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a lengthwise, central section and elevationalview of anotherform of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

In all the figures, a pyrometer is shown as a member of the superheater,the pyrcmeter having a Aheat sensitive element exposed to the action ofa high frequency, oscillating electromagnetic, hot

, eld, affecting apparatus and means for controlling the heat the heatsensitive element cf the pyrometer being inductively heated from theelecthe usual type of apparatus in which petroleum oil is vaporized byapplication of external heat. For illustration,l apparatus B may besupposed to be a still provided with either side or bottom heatingdevices, as at B. In such apparatus, long commonly used forv crude oilvaporizing, a delivery pipe 2 leads to somel kind of vapor treatingapparatus -such as `B2 which may be either a heat interchanger,condenser, expansioi. chamber, or otherwise. Heretofore, the hot yaporsflowing through the pipe 2 have deposited a carbon content on the wallsof the pipe and other Walls with which they have come in Contact, thuscarbonizingthe walls and also impairing the quality of the distilledproduct by the presence of excess carbonin the distillate. In myopinion, based on my experience and work done in this connection, theresult of subjecting the pre-heated vapors to the action of the highfrequency, oscillating, electromagnetic field herein mentioned is tobreak up the carbon molecules in the vapor into exceedingly. smallelectrified particles, and thus to involve ionization. At any rate, bymy invention the deposit of carbon from the heated and cracked vapor inthe pipe is practically prevented and the carbon content of the vaporand distillate fixed in the distillate, the quality of the ultimateproduct, such as gasoline or the like, being vmaterially improved. By myinvention, I give the hot, preheatedvapor or vapors, while flowingfromthe still, a sudden boost in temperature or hot shock asabovedescribed, and have discovered that by so doing carbonization of thepre-heated cracked oil vapors, during their discharge flow is. largelyand in some cases wholly` obviar-ed. Indeed lthe sudden hot shock givento the hot vapor in its :dow is a nal and complete cracking step.

Fig. 2 shows a conduit A of electric currentl conducting material.Conduit A is tapped at 1 into the starting material or vapor supply pipe2 and is extended into an elongated coil which terminates and dischargesat 3 within an expansion chamber structure A of dielectric material,such as ceramic, pyrex or the like. The expansion chamber structure A'is shown annular in cross section and is in eifect a cross sectionallyenlarged extension of conduit A. It has a closed end wall 4, preferablyat its end nearest the take-off, at 1, of the starting material; is ofan interior cross section substantially larger than that of conduit 'Ain order to permit expansion of the vapor discharged into the expansionchamber from the conduit A at 3. An end of the expansion chamber,preferably furthest from the discharge at 3, is open and incommunication with a discharge or delivery pipe 5 which conveys thesuperheated vapor to any desired apparatus, such as a heat interchanger,condenser or otherwise. The interior circular wall of expansion chamberA' has a lining 6v of some suitable refractory material, such, forexample, as asbestos. The purpose of lining 6 is to support the edges ofeach of, preferably a series of transverse, vapor-baffling and passingmeans 'I shown as metal wire screens through the interspaces of whichthe superheated vapor may flow. The peripheral margin of such screens isanchored in the asbestos or other lining, out of contact with thedielectric wall of the expansion chamber structure A', as shown at 8, inorder to prevent unequal heating of the metal screen or other equivalentvapor baling and passing elements which also function as short circuitedsecondaries in the superheater, when the energizing current is on. Apyrometer having a heat sensitive element 9 is provided for theexpansion chamber, and is located within the influence of a highfrequency, oscillating electromagnetic eld established by an energizing,alternating; high frequency, electric current within the expansionchamber, and within and exteriorly of the coiled portion of conduit Awhich is of copper or other suitable high frequency, alternating;electric current conducting material. The pyrometer includes anexteriorly observable heat degree indicator 10. The ends of expansionchamber structure A are shown electrically insulated at 11 from thestarting material supply pipe 2 and also from the discharge and deliverypipe 5. The coiled portion of conduit A is electrically connected at12-12, spacedly apart, with the ends of high frequency alternatingelectric current conductors l3-l3. each leading from a brush 14 of analternating electric current dynamo 15. A condenser 16 is interposed ineach conductor 13; and rheostat 16a is interposed in one of theconductors 13 in order to permit regulation of the heat induced in theshort circuited secondaries, which form electric current resistanoes,from the electromagnetic iield established in the expansion chamber whenthe current is on. 'I'he coiled portion of conduit A surrounds theexpansion chamber structure A'.

The degree of heat generated in the expansion chamber, at any givenmoment, is determined electrically by regulation of the current, and isknown instantly to an attendant by his observation of a correspondingpyrometer reading. This structure permitsrthe apparatus to be used as asuperheater or heat booster for giving pre-heated hydrocarbonaceousvapors, or other fluid starting material, supplied to conduit A frompipe 2 a' sudden increase in temperature. The attendant can instantlyraise or boost the temperature of `the pre-heated starting material byregulation of the current, and by observation of the pyrmeter readinggive the material a sudden increase in temperature.

The short circuited, secondary forming element forms an electricresistance in the electromagnetic field and. may be very highly heated,even to the melting point if it were so desired; but in use thetemperature effected in the expansion chamber is to be varied, usuallyaccording to the quality and character of the starting material, asabove stated, the preheated vapors received from the supply pipe beingusually of atemperature about 200 Fah. lower than that suddenly giventhem in the expansion chamber by regulated operation of the apparatuswhich forms a superheater if it is so used as just described.

As the dynamo and high frequency, alternating current generating,distributing and heat control apparatus above described are shown andidentified by corresponding reference numerals in remaining gures of thedrawings, no further detailed description thereof will be given.

In Fig. 3, the expansion chamber structure A' differs from that abovedescribed in that both its ends are closed except for its intake port 17and discharge port 18. Starting material supplied to the expansionchamber and allowed to expand or vaporize therein flows out throughdischarge port 18 into the partially coiled conduit Agand is dischargedtherefrom at its discharge end 19. If desired, the starting materialcould be introduced into the expansion chamber through the discharge end19, circulated through the coil, discharged expandingly into theexpansion chamber, and flow out through the intake port 18, involving areversal of the initial supply and ultimate discharge. In all otherrespects this form of the invention is like that set forth in connectionwith the Fig. 1 form.

In Fig. 4 there is no short circuited, secondary forming elements, thescreens being omitted. The coiled portion of conduit A, however, iswithin the expansion chamber and its convolutions serve as gaseous vaporbailiing and passing means. The coiled portion of the copper conduit,offering resistance to the high frequency, alternating current owingthrough it and being in the high frequency, electromagnetic field whichis generated when the energizing current is on, becomes highly heated,and the starting material in the coil is subject to influence of thisheat and of the high frequency oscillations of the electromagneticfield. In this form of the apparatus or superheater, the startingmaterial is assumed to be taken ,into an outside portion of conduit A,as at 20; to now through the interior coiled portion of the conduit andto discharge at 21 into the expansion chamber from which the superheatedvapor treated flows out through a discharge or delivery pipe 22.

In practice, I employ a frequency of between and about r160 and 2,000cycles per second as the particular character or quality of the hot,gaseous vapor to be superheated may require.

If'fdesired a catalyst may be located in the electromagnetic field. `Thescreens '7, one or all may be of catalytic metal.

Preferably the suddenly superheated and cracked vapor is suddenlychilled in the heat interchanger, and the apparatus shown is suitablefor this important purpose and theconstituents of the finished productare yfixed and stabilized by the sudden changes in temperature, the hightemperatures being affected by induction from the hot, electromagneticfield.

I have found that gasoline cracked in a hot, high frequency oscillatingelectromagnetic field contains a hithertov undiscovered and unrecognizedwaxy substance which is negligible in quantity but which indicates a neweffect of the hot electromagnetic eld and the action thereof,l

in my divisional application, Serial No. 437,558,

filed March 20, 1930, for Oil heating apparatus.

What I claim is: K The method of treating hydrocarbon vapor while hotand in a condition normally to deposit carbon comprising passing acurrent of pre-heated hydrocarbon -vapor through an inductively heatedhigh frequency electric current conducting tube forming a coil wherebythe temperature of the vapors is suddenly increased and cracking takesplace simultaneouslywith the fixation of the carbon content,subsequently expanding,- the superheated hydrocarbon vapors into achamber of greater cross-section, said chamber being posi-f tionedwithin and surrounded by-said coil-whereby the expanded vapors aresubjected to a high frequency oscillating electro-magnetic field andremoving the treated vapors froml said chamber.

IRA WALTON HENRY.

